Open-pit mining comes to Quebéc
Abitibi-Témiscamingue is no stranger to mines, in fact, there are over 100 of them in this mineral-rich region in northern Quebéc. Along with forestry and agriculture, mining is one of the most important parts of the region’s economy. There is, however, one type of mine that has fortunately not found its way to the region yet: the open pit mine. Now, that might change.
A company called Osisko Exploration is planning to build an open-pit gold mine in the city of Malartic and they are doing so without any public consultation. That is rather alarming, considering that the company has already begun the forcible relocation of a fifth of the population, not to mention the environmental damage and health risks associated with open-pit mining that have become apparent since the process started spreading globally in the 1990s.
Open-pit mines are known for turning communities into ghost towns and destroying the lives of many citizens. This process also has a history of being done without input from the public, with public opinion silenced or, as in the case of the Mexican village of Cerro de San Pedro, in a completely illegal manner.
The project in Malartic is one of four potential open-pit mining projects in Abitibi, considering the lack of public consultation and the fact that Canadian mining companies are some of the largest in the world and are also some of the biggest offenders when it comes to irresponsible mining practices and in some cases unethical business practices vis-Ã -vis the local population, people are starting to take action to ensure that these projects don’t turn Abitibi into a hole in the ground.
Their main goal is creating public awareness in Quebéc about what may befall their communities. They have begun circulating a video on the internet that goes into detail of what is happening and what very well might happen. Here it is:
If you don’t want to see an open-pit mine in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, please consider spreading this video to your friends and colleagues.
May 21st, 2009 at 7:58 am
[…] This ease of staking could possibly explain how easily Osisko was able to obtain the rights to build an open-pit mine in the community of Malartic in […]